Cricket 1883

3 8 CRICKET; A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. a p b il 19 , lS&S; (not out), Midwinter (not out) 8. The win caused immense excitemcnt, and the "round was rushed by 20,000 persons, who wereloud in their demonstrations of delight. The game was a splendid one throughout, and the utmost har- monyand good feeling prevailed. The attendance during the four days was 55,000. ENOLAND. First Innings. Second Innings. Barlow, c Murdoch, b Mid- e Bonnor, b Mid­ winter ....................................2 winter .. . . . . 20 Mr. C. T. Studd, run out .. 48 c Murdoch, b Mid­ winter .................... 31 Mr. C. F. H. Leslie, c Bonnor b Boyle..........................................17 b Horan ......................19 Mr. A. G. Steel, not out ..135 b Spofforth......................21 Mr. W . W . Read, c Bonuor, b B o /l e ...........................................11 b SpofEorth.....................7 Mr. E. F. S. Tylecote, b B o y le ............................................5 b P a lm e r ......................0 Barnes, b Spofforth .. .. 2 o and b Boyle .. .. 20 Bates, c Bonnor, b Midwin­ ter .....................................................9 not out..............................48 Hon. Ivo Bligh, h Palmer .. 19 c Murdoch, h Horan 10 Mr. G. 15. Studd, run out .. 3 c Murdoch, b Boyle .. 9 Morley, b Palm er...........................0 c Biackham, b Palmer 2 B 4 ,1-b 7, n b l .. . . 1 2 B 1, i-b 8, n b 1 . . 10 T otal.............................263 T o t a l. . ..197 A ustralia . First Innings. Second Innings. A. C. Bannermau, c Barlow, b Morley .................................10 c Bligh, b C. T. Studd 63 G. J. Bonnor, c Barlow, b Steel ..........................................87 c G. B. Staid b Steel 8 W . L. Murdoch, b Barlow .. 0 c Barlow, b Bates .. 17 T. Ilol-an, c G. B. Studd, b Morley...............................................4 c and b Bates .. ..0 G. Giffen, c G. B. Studd, b L e s lie ..........................................27 st Tylecote, b Steel.. 32 \V. Midwinter, b Barlow .. 10 not out..............................8 J. M. Blackham, st Tylecotc b Bates..........................................57 not out..............................58 G. E. Palmer, c Bligh, b Steel ............................................0 E. Eva-^s, not ou t........................22 c Leslie, b Steel 0 F. R.“ Spoffortb, c Bates, b Steel ............................................ 1 n . F. Boyle, c G. B. Studd, b Barlow..........................................29 B 3 ,1-b 10, w 2 .. .. 15 B 10,1-b 4, w 4 .. 18 Total.............................262 Total BOWLING ANALYSIS. .199 E ngland . First Innings. Second Innings. O. M. R.W . O. M. R.W Spofforth . . 2 1 8 56 1 ..................... 28 6 57 2 Palmer.. . . 24 9 52 2 ........................ 43.8 19 59 2 Midwinter .. 47 24 50 2 ......................... 33 18 21 2 Boyle . . . . 40 19 52 3 ........................ 23 6 85 2 Horan . . . . 12 4 26 0 ......................... 9 2 15 2 Evans .. .. 11 3 15 0 A ustralia . First Innings. Second Innings. O. M. R.W . O. M. R.W . Barlow .. . . 4 8 21 883 . ....................... S7.1 20 44 0 Morley . . . . 44 25 45 2 ........................ 9 4 9 0 Barnes.. . . 1 0 2 83 0 ........................ 21 5 22 1 Bates .. .. 16 6 24 1 ......................... 39 19 47 2 €. F. Leslie . . 5 2 11 1 ....................... 6 4 2 0 A. G. Steel .. 18 6 34 3 ......................... 43 13 49 8 C. T. Studd.. 7 2 12 0 ......................... 8 48 1 Leslie bowled four wides. The following comments on the match are taken from the Australasian newspaper and will be read with interest:—In the first place the usual advantage accruing from winning the toss was obviated oy an arrangement that each innings should be played on a fresh pitch, and in the second place, the clerk of the weather, though he frowned a little occasionally, was in fairly good humour all through, and certainly did not handicap either side in the slightest degree. The Englishmen won the toss, and batting in fine weather on a capital wicket, and thanks to a chance missed by Bonnor, realised the fine total of 263. The Australians, on a wicket not nearly so true as that of the English­ men, put together 262, owing to the excellent play of Blackham, Giffen, Evans, and Boyle, and the extraordinary innings of Bonnor, who was missed about.a dozen times. So far, there­ fore, this bloodless battle was in equal poise, and the struggle for supremacy now rested entirely ou the second innings. The Englishmen just before 6 o’clock on the third day closed their second essay on a rather difficult pitch for a total of 197. The even state of the game up to this point caused public excitement to run high, and it was felt that the Australians had all their work cut out to make the 199 required to win. On the fourth day Blackham and others nobly responded to the call made upon them, and amidst great rejoicing and enthusiasm victory was declared lor Australia by the sub­ stantial majority of four wickets. Each innings was completed just before 6 o’clock each day, and the display throughout was well worth wit­ nessing, being, bar certain errors in the field and indifferent batting on the part of one or two, a very good exhibition of sound, scientific cricket, in batting A. G. Steel, C. T. Studd, and Bates deserve the greatest praise on the English side, and Blackham, Bannerman, Giffen, Evans, and Boyle were seen at their best for Australia: and as Bonner made a big score, his name must also be mentioned. In the first inning3 of the Englishmen Steel, despite two or three chances, played first-class cricket for his fine score of 135 not out—more than half the total, be it observed. At starting he shaped as if he would not last long, but upon settling down by-and-by his cutting was hard, clean, and neat, his leg play sound and telling, his driving safe and resolute, and the confidence and vigour wanting in his play at the outset became more and more marked as his performance was draw­ ing to a close. He was missed at 4 by Black­ ham, at 35 by Bonnor (the easiest of easy chances), and at 100 by Evans, and Murdoch very nearly had him at point off Boyle before he had scored. Steel, in the second innings, played excellently for 21. Next to Steel comes <J. T. Studd with 48 and 31, and in composing these runs he showed his best form, which means that his play was characterised by all the vigour, finish, and elegance of scientific exe­ cution which so happily combine in this first- class player as to give his style a distinctive quality and make it a model for all rising players. Bates for his score of 48 (not out), though he gave a chance at 18, merits unstinted praise, for he made his runs at a time when they were badly wanted, and, what is more, he made them in a free and taking style, and without evincing any desire to make those reckless strokes which have more than once caused the downfall of the dashing young 'Xorkshireman. Barlow’s 20 in the second innings was the outcome of sound defence, but this defence was so laboured and cramped as to detract in some measure from the merit usually justly due to the patient stone- waller. In the second innings, also, Barnes 20, Leslie 19, and the Hon. Ivo Bligh 10, shaped well for their respective contributions. As re­ gards the batting of the Australians, first men­ tion must, of course, be made of Blackham. Indeed, if it is possible for any single player to be credited with having won a match, then, in respect of this match, Blackham most assuredly can say with Corielanus, “ Alone I did it.” His grand score of 57 in the first innings on a treacherous wicket came just at the right time to save a follow-on. Then in the real juncture of the second innings Blackham was again to the fore, and by faultless cricket of a well- balanced defensive and aggressive character obtained the splendid score of 58 (not out), and had also the satisfaction of making the winning hit, a beautiful cut for 4 off Barlow. A . Banner­ man, the top scorer in the second innings, was the recipient of many well-deserved complimen­ tary remarks for his splendid score of 63, com­ posed by such free and determined cricket as to make any mention of stonewalling entirely in­ applicable, and a large measure of praise was awarded to Giffen for histimely and serviceable contributions of 27 and 32, made in the South Australian’susual attractive and resolute style, and under such trying circumstances as might have caused a less plucky player to absent him­ self from the field altogether. Much praise was bestowed upon Evans and Boyle for the capital and much needed stand they made in the fltst innings, and that they maintained their positions so long and successfully reflects much credit upon them. Evans’s innings of 22 (not out), was especially useful, for, going in with the score at 164, he helped Blackham to save the follow on, and was at the wickets while 184 runs were being made. Last of all comes Bonnor's score of 87, and it is to be said that in a life­ time a lover of cricket might never see another similar innings. No fewer than one dozen chances, the major portion of them fairly easy ones, can be urged against him, and so it is safe to assert that he had a charmed life. Proverbi­ ally a cat has nine lives, and so Bonnor is now able to say that he can give a cat a long start, and then come in an easy winner. It seems that Bonnor did not feel very well during this particular innings, and if this was the case, it serves in some measure to extenuate his ex­ tremely bad display. Steel missed him about seven times, Tylecote twice, C. T. Studd once, Read once, and Barlow once, aud yet all these do not compensate for the solitary miss made by Bonnor in Steel’s large innings ; 87 runs count, and that is about all that can be said in favour oi Bonnor’s performance. Midwinter’s score of eight (not out), small though it be, should not be forgotten, for he was there at the finish with Blackham, and playing the bowling confidently maintained a strong defence, and ran splendidly between the wickets. In bowl­ ing, Boyle and Midwinter were the best perform­ ers for Australia, and considerable credit is due to the latter for his excellent deliveries against a strong wind. Palmer now and then showed somewhat of his true form, but, for the most part, he was all abroad, and a similar remark will apply to Spofforth. Horan was lucky enough to get a couple of wickets, and Evans maintained a good length for the very few overs he sent down. All the English bowlers did their work creditably, and Barlow would have come out with a good average only for the extremely hard luck he had. In the field, when the ball came along the ground, both sides did well, but when chances were given there were, as I have already pointed out, numerous instances of the genus “ butterfinger.” The best man in the 22 was undoubtedly G. B. Studd; and those who witnessed his wonderful dexterity and unceasing brilliance will justly consider his superb exhi­ bition as a criterion by which to guage all future performance in the field. To my mind the Hon. Ivo Bligh placed his field and worked his bowling splendidly; but Murdoch, in the first innings, did not show sound judgment in changing his bowling, and in the second innings to the astonishment of everybody, did not give Evans a solitary trial, though changes were made with surprising rapidity. (Why Evans was not tried requires some explanation). The match was on all hands admitted to be the best ever played in the colonies, it was pleasantly contested throughout, and the 45,000 who were present during the four days, distributed their applause with thorough impartiality, at the finish the crowd cheered both sides vehemently and Blackham, who met with a perfect ovation, was carried into the pavilion by his friends. ENGLAND v. VICTOKIA. (From the South Australian Register.) The return match between the Hon. Ivo Bligh’s English team and eleven representing Victoria was commenced on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, March 9. The weather was cool and fine, but the light was variable and unfavourable to the batsmen. The difficulty with regard to the protest of the English captain against C. Bannerman acting »s umpire for Victoria was amicably settled by